HELP! 3 year old male Quaker hasn't been handled

by Megan
(Florida)

I just got a 3 year old Quaker that has been handled very little. The man I got him from would thump him in the beak which has made the bird hate him. Thats why he was given to me. He doesn't show any aggresion towards me, my husband or my daughter when we put our hands near the cage. He lets me put my hands in the cage to feed him and water him.

He stays on the side of the cage closest to us. He sleeps hanging upside down from the top of the cage. The only thing he has said is Thank you which I was told he didn't speak. I talk to him and he seems like he tries to talk back cause he opens his mouth really wide and moves his tongue around while making muffle noise. I can cluck at him and he clucks back sometimes.

I just got him 2 days ago and he seems like he is coming around in just this short time. We are able to feed him with our fingers through the cage. No one has tried to touch him yet. I feel like its too soon and I want him as well as us to be completely compfortable.

The day I got him I was laying down with my daughter and he started screaming. I talked to him softly and he stopped. He seems to really like my daughter, but she is only 21 months and is a little scared of him. He likes to look at her and watch her. She talks to him and he makes noises back at her.

If I get on to my daughter he starts screaming. Does this mean he is going to prefer her over anyone else? How long should I wait to handle him? Should I wear gloves lol? How long does is take for them to learn a new word? Will he get over the fact that he was abused before and actually trust us? How long does it take to earn ones trust and does it seem like we are winning him over yet?

I just have so many questions. Any and all responses will help. This bird's beak might be a little long and his nails are deffinately long. How do I take care of that? I have gone and bought all kinds of things for him but he doesn't seem to be interested in nothing but us as long as we are sitting there. Please help